A Decade of Honor: 10th annual ‘Carry the Load’ walk held

Carry the Load, a national non-profit honoring military, first responders, veterans, and their families, has come to Mount Pleasant again for their 10th annual awareness walk.

The event began with a rally at the MP Civic Center at 10:30 a.m., and the four-mile walk to Forest Lawn Cemetery began at noon.

Carry the Load began in 2011 as a means to connect Americans to those who make sacrifices for our country. It was established by two Veteran U.S. Navy SEALs who felt like the nation had forgotten the meaning of Memorial Day. A decade later, Carry The Load has turned into a worldwide movement to honor and remember our nation’s heroes.

“After serving on active duty post-9/11, many of us returned home having lost good men and women whom we served alongside,” says Stephen Holley, co-founder, president, and CEO of Carry The Load. “We returned home to what felt like a nation that didn’t care. By walking alongside and sharing stories with hundreds of supporters over the past 10 years, we’ve come to realize people do care.”

Over the ten years since the non-profit’s birth, it has grown significantly. In its first year, the walk was a 20-hour and 11-minute memorial march that took place on Memorial Day in Dallas. The next year, it became a national relay, stretching from the East Coast to Dallas. By 2016, the West Coast got involved, expanding the march into Seattle.

This year, the march covers more than 40 states, with over 70 city rallies taking place. Four routes operate daily throughout the month of May, handing off the American flag every 5 miles of walking and/or cycling. More than 15,500 miles are walked in total.

In addition to holding this march each year, Carry the Load raises funds to assist with the challenges that military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their families face. Since 2011, the non-profit has raised $28.6 million, of which 93.14% goes toward their three programs: Awareness, Continuum of Care, and Education.